The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-05-27

81 wish I could spare something" she
said, eff it was only a dollar!',
81 wish you could, my dear"!' said gen
tie Mrs. Hay, who had overheard the eager
words.
"Mother," cried Mary, "there are the
quinces-the ounces down by the railroad.
Why couldn't l sell them at the store? The
trees hang full this year and the fruit is
beautifully perfect"
Il never thought of that" said Mrs.
Hay. "We'l go tomorrow and gather
them, Mary--you and l."
Mary wen singing about her work that
afternoon. Her heart was light as any
feather. Why, why had she not remem-
bered the ounce tree before? Ounces
were rare and high priced this season, and
she thought she was certain of at least So
for the crop.
But the next day, when she and her
motLer-Mrs. Hay carrying the basket and
Mary trundling the barrow along before
her-wentd down to the orchard, whose
slopes extended to the glittering steel lines
of the railway, 10 and behold. the trees
were utterly stripped of their golden load.
Mary burst into tears. She sat down on
the edge of the wheelbarrow and hid her
head i'll her mothers apron like a child.
ooh, mother, who has done this?" she
cried. "Who can have been so wicked
so cruel?"
cts the boys, I'm afraid said Mrs.
Hay. Don't fret, daughter-dou't. It's
done, and it can't be helped"
"The boys never served us so BEFORE"
said Mary between her sobs. 'Yes, moth
er, you are right. 1t can't be helped. Let
us go home. There is an end to the sub
scription money now"
Slowly and sadly the two women toiled
back up the hill with the vheelbarrow and
basket. Mr.. Hay, just returned from the
harvest field, heard their story with amaze
ment.
cts the first time that ever a tree of
mine was robbed" said he. Il didn't
know as we had such boys in this neigh
borhood; but, look here, Polly, don't cry"
laying his hand soothingly on his daugh-
ter's shoulder. cts always darkest just
before daylight. Here's a S. gold piece
that Mr.. Blake paid me for the hay up in
the medder. | was going to take it toward
the taxes, but | guess taxes can wait"
mo. father, " said Mary, "our just debts
are our just debts. I oughtn't to touch
this money"
sSquinches, eh," said Luke Darabee,
who had come in with a stone pitcher for a
gallon of Mrs. Hays cider vinegar.
''Squinches is mighty seuss this season. l
see Mrs. Biggard's folks dom up a sight
on 'em when l was over there this
morning. Mrs. Biggard she's dredful
churchy, you know, and the parson he's
said he was partial to preserved squinches;
and there was she and Ruey and Almiry
tuckerin' like all possessed to get 'em done.
Says I:
"Why, wbar did ye git all them ere
squinches?!"
Says she:
81 bought EN- of a boy at the door,
Says L:
emo, We didn't, Electa Biggard; you
got 'em last night outen Farmer Hays
side hill squinch orchard, clus' to the rail-
road, says 1; 'cause l seen you and Ruey
a carrin' the clothes basket between you,
cram jam full O. big yallar squinches.'
"And so | did, for our COW got outen the
field and wandered quite a ways down the
railroad, and | was a-hunting of her by
moonlight, when l seen them from behind
the sassafras bushes down by the track.
Wall, you should have seen her turn red
der than the big bell peppers out in the
garden patch. Says she:
What and if did" says she Mary
Hay she give EN- to me-
"'Oh,' says l, that's a horse of another
COLOR saysI
"But now it appears with his shabby,
gray eyebrows slightly elevated, shat ye
didn't give 'em to her, hey?"
Mary and her mother looked blankly AT
each other. The good father chuckled.
'"Them ounces was worth 81 at the very
least, SAID he. Il guess, ROXY, IL L was
you, I'd collect the money"
The ladies ofthe fund committee were at
Mrs. Biggard's house that afternoon.
Agood many faithful and devout sisters
were present, and some of 1.-THE brotherhood
as well.
Mr.. Midway sauntered in toward tea
time, and was thanking Zerulah and
Almira Biggard for the beautiful Jars of
preserved ounces which had found their
way to the rectory, when Mrs. Biggard's
shrill voice sounded above the hum of gen.
eral discourse:
CHOW that the minister is here, there
amt no reason we shouldn't render in our
accounts she caekled. "And am hap
Ply to say that every lady in the parish has
given something to the Eboe Indian fund
except Miss Mary Hay"
Mr.. Mildmay bit his lip, Zerulah cast
down her white dashed eyes, Almira gig
gled family.
"lMa is so frank spoken" said she.
81 scarcely Think" observed Mr.. Mild
may, ''that there was any necessity for
particularizing in such a matter as this.
81 hain't no patience with mean folks,